Plastic-free London

Hina Bokhari: What are you doing to make London a single-use plastic-free city?

Sadiq Khan: In my first term as Mayor, I launched my Refill London initiative and formed partnerships with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Thames Water to install a network of drinking fountains across London. This has led to there being over 4,000 refill locations across the capital - up from 200 when the programme started in March 2018 - and the installation of 82 drinking fountains, all helping to avoid the use of single-use plastics. Before the pandemic, the first 28 fountains installed with the ZSL helped avoid more than 733,000 half-litre plastic bottles in two years. Unfortunately, the fountains had to be temporarily closed due to the pandemic but I plan to reopen them on 19July in line with the easing of lockdown restrictions and we will recommence installations of new fountains in the autumn.
Following my re-election, I have renewed the commitment made in my London Environment Strategy to reduce single-use plastics to help London become a zero-waste city. A major cornerstone of my plan for London’s recovery from the pandemic is my Green New Deal, which seeks to create green jobs for the future while greening our economy. Through the Green New Deal, we are prioritising single-use plastic reduction. This includes our Better Futures programme, which supports numerous small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who offer Londoners products to replace single-use plastics.
It also includes our Future Neighbourhoods 2030 programme, which will support boroughs and local communities with up to £7.5million of funding to drive action across five key sectors, including the creation of a zero-waste circular economy. There is encouraging action on single-use plastics, including the development of innovative ways to reduce consumption and waste in local areas.
In May [2021] through ReLondon I supported the publication of a report on reducing single-use plastic consumption, which identifies a series of actions to accelerate efforts in London, including raising awareness of the issues to inform and inspire Londoners.
Most recently, I have responded to government consultations on extended producer responsibility and deposit return schemes urging the widest possible inclusion of containers and materials to maximise their impact.

Hina Bokhari: Thank you, MrMayor. Also, from my family to yours, Eid Mubarak for next week. I really appreciate the work that you have already done on water fountains and the challenges that you face because of the pandemic, but we all can do so much more. London could and should be leading the way to eliminating unnecessary single-use plastic. Cities like NewDelhi and Paris are way ahead of us. The River Thames is shockingly one of the most plastics-polluted rivers in the world. Our ambition must be no less than a plastic-free city. Even on the water fountain front, we can do some more and make some more progress, especially in places that the Mayor of London has direct control. For example, what proportion of Tube stations still do not have water fountains?

Sadiq Khan: The issue with the water fountains across London is the supply to the water fountains. What we are doing is making sure we can work with Thames Water to get the supply to the various places we want the water fountains.
In relation to the Tube stations, the issue is the potential slippage with water going elsewhere in relation to customers using the station escalators going down to the platform. I am more than happy, Chair, to send the Member a list of the stations where we are planning to have fountains. The issue is which stations have water near to an entrance or an exit to a station, but I can supply the list offline.

Hina Bokhari: I am looking forward to that report. Thank you. And despite the slippage reasons, I am sure that there could be some sort of work we could look into. I would happily work with you on that.
I understand that also, as you mentioned, we do need the Government’s support for some actions, but I am concerned that the Government’s plans for a deposit return scheme for single-use plastics continues to be delayed. As the Mayor of London, you do not have to wait for national action on this. We could do this. You could introduce a pilot here in London.
Given the lack of the Government action, will you introduce a deposit return scheme for single-use plastic bottles for London?

Sadiq Khan: We looked into this in the last mayoral term. I am sorry you were not here then. I am pleased you are now.

Hina Bokhari: Sadly, I was not, no.

Sadiq Khan: We looked at the pros and cons of doing so. There are all sorts of challenges. We looked at Scotland, where they have done some work in relation to this, which was encouraging.
We will wait and see the response to the lobbying of the Government. If the Government were to bring in a national scheme, that would be really ground-breaking. If the Government decides not to, we will go back to the work we did in relation to going it alone, but there are challenges. I am not going to pretend there are not challenges, but we did look into this work, learning the lessons from Scotland. Let us wait and see what the Government does.
I am hopeful, actually. I had a meeting recently with the Secretary for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Particularly because COP26 is in Glasgow, that has re-energised the Government in relation to some of the stuff it wants to do. There is cross-party agreement as well, which is encouraging. I had a meeting this week with the Mayor of West Midlands as well.
Let us wait and see what the Government does. If the Government is not positive, I am more than happy to speak to colleagues across the Assembly. This is an issue everyone will agree on.

Hina Bokhari: Great. I am totally up for a cross-party approach on this. Another thing that you certainly could do, something that we are all trying to do, is to eliminate the use of plastic bottles in any part of the Greater London Authority (GLA) group, as recommended by the London Assembly Environment Committee in 2017. You can also make sure that single-use plastic bottles are not used in events, for example, that the GLA sponsors or supports. I am aware that plastic cutlery is no longer used in City Hall, which is great, but there are still plastic bottles in use in other places in the GLA group. I am interested to know what your thoughts are on that and, if so, when will these be removed?

Sadiq Khan: Which ones do you mean?

Hina Bokhari: Let us say, for example, Transport for London (TfL) or the police. Are there other areas in the GLA where we can maybe introduce a plastic-free approach?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, we are leading by example. City Hall and all of the GLA family understand the importance of this agenda. I recently addressed the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) senior leaders. They all get the agenda in relation to zero carbon, but also concerns around air quality, waste and other issues. If there are examples that the Member is aware of where the GLA family is not following best practice, let me know and we will follow that up.

Hina Bokhari: Thank you very much for your time.

Gaps in Mental Health Work

Keith Prince: What are you doing to identify and fill any gaps in your mental health work programmes?

Keith Prince: MrMayor, while you are looking up your answer, just to save even more time, can I just say that I recently met with the Mental Health Foundation, which highlighted that we are not a signatory to the Prevention Concordat for Better Mental Health. Will you commit to signing up to that, please?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I am happy to go and look at that. I am not sure. Can I go and look at what the concordat is and come back to the Member?

Keith Prince: That is fine. Thank you.

Andrew Boff: You are content?

Keith Prince: Thank you, MrMayor.

Andrew Boff: That was nice and quick. Cross-party working, MrMayor. That is what it is.

Estate Regeneration Ballots

Sakina Sheikh: Since your introduction of the estate regeneration balloting scheme; how successful has the scheme been in giving social housing tenants and resident leaseholders a say in the future of their homes?

Sadiq Khan: I am proud of this pioneering policy around estate regeneration, which has been in place for three years almost to the day. For residents of estates earmarked for regeneration, it has ensured they have a final say in plans for the future of their homes. Estate regeneration has a valuable part to play in improving existing homes, delivering much-needed new ones and improving neighbourhoods, but I am clear residents must be at the heart of plans. Before becoming Mayor, I had seen too many schemes where residents felt landlords had not genuinely sought and taken on board their views. That is why, as Mayor, I developed first a good practice guide for estate regeneration and then my ballot requirement.
We have seen ten positive results so far, in most cases with large majorities in favour, with high turnouts, which provides a strong indication that housing associations and councils are doing exactly the right thing. In one case where residents originally rejected plans, the housing associations are engaging with the residents to understand how their offer needs to change to address some of the concerns that they have. I accept estate regeneration schemes are often complex, taking years to complete, but I am confident we are already seeing regeneration schemes that deliver real benefits for local residents.

Sem Moema: Thank you. It is really good to hear that almost all of the ballots since you introduced the policy as a condition for funding have been successful and have been supported by the tenants of those estates for demolition and rebuild. The ballots that need to take place, as I say, they make sure that those schemes are funded by GLA. Are you looking to spread this best practice to feature developments that do not access GLA funding? Do you think the Government should encourage estate ballots also?

Sadiq Khan: I am conscious of the limited powers I have got. One of the things we can do is use the lever of funding to require the ballots. The good news is that you have got some others who are using that as best practice. Lewisham Council, for example, is balloting its residents before it does any regeneration projects, even on schemes we do not fund, which is a great thing to do. It shows the best practice being used. We are speaking to councils, housing associations and landlords. We realise we do not have the powers to make them do this because they do not need our funding, but it is saying, “Look, this works, and you are turning your residents into active citizens, which must be good for everybody”. We are hoping that best practice will spread. We are also sharing our experience of the ballots, which has been a positive one, with the Government.

Sem Moema: Thank you.

High homicide rates in the black community

Shaun Bailey: What are you doing to address the disproportionate high homicide rates in the black community in London?

Sadiq Khan: Every death on the streets of London is a tragedy. I meet with victims’ families, and my heart goes out to every family and community who have been affected by violence. Working in partnership, we are doing everything we can to stop more lives from being lost. If we are to tackle the problem head-on and protect young lives, both the MPS and I have been clear that we must face up to the disproportionate impacts of the violence we see on our streets. I am greatly concerned about the number of homicides in our city, including the number of young Black men and boys who have lost their lives.
I am acutely aware that during the summer months, as COVID restrictions are eased, we may see an increase in violence. I have brought together partners to take collective action, working together with the police, other statutory services, councils and the community to make more progress. My
Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is working with the MPS, the National Probation Service, London’s VRU, boroughs and other criminal justice partners across London to deliver coordinated action to suppress violence, aligned with the MPS’s six-point plan to tackle serious violence. This includes targeted enforcement against violent offenders, supporting people away from crime and offering positive opportunities for young Londoners.
Communities will continue to be central to our approach to reducing violence. Through our VRU, England’s first, I am investing in programmes to put communities at the forefront of our work, giving them tools to drive down violence and make our city safer. The VRU is working, for example, with the Black Training and Enterprise Group to invest in after-school provision for 10 to 18-year-olds through community programmes that support Londoners who are most in need. Last year, I allocated a total of £6.6million to the My Ends programme, which provided locally-designed interventions in neighbourhoods affected by high and sustained levels of violence. Last week I announced £2.4million of additional investment for the VRU to support up to 4,000 school-aged children both during the summer and beyond. This is one of our biggest challenges and something we all need to work on together.

Shaun Bailey: Thank you for your answer, MrMayor. I just want to be clear. I am not trying to criticise what you have done. What I am asking is, even when you take into account gang activity and poverty, the homicide rate in the Black community is still disproportionately high.
What other factors have you identified? Is there a specific piece of work we can do across London to address this? As I say, we know gang activity has been a big issue and we know that poverty is as well, but there is something additional going on, and I wonder if your information had spotted any of that and if something specifically can be done about that.

Sadiq Khan: I am not excusing criminality. One of the things we have recognised is actually the root causes of some of this violent crime, particularly in the communities you refer to, are lack of opportunity, deprivation and inequality. It is the root causes that we are seeking to address by giving more opportunities. That is one of the reasons why people like me talk about structural inequalities and institutional racial discrimination. We are trying to persuade the Government to understand there are systemic issues in our society and across the country that are to do with the issues that I have talked about. We have to address those issues. We see it reflected in research from what happens in our schools, what happens in our
Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), what happens with infant mortality, what happens in relation to mortality, what happens in relation to life chances and relation to universities. Tackling those root issues will make a big difference to the concern that both you and I have about disproportionality when it comes to the victims of violent crime.

Shaun Bailey: All of what you said I accept, and those things happen for people, but we have known this for the last five years. You have set up a number of initiatives. You spoke about all the money you spent, but where is the progress? What is the outcome of this input? You have put in a lot of money. We accept that. Thank you. May it continue. The outcomes have not been as successful as you would like. You can see that just by looking at the stats. They are going in the wrong direction.
What will you change? Is there something specific that can be done to drive that change? Black parents and Black children in London are absolutely terrified. I could tell you 101 different stories. My brother will not let his 17-year-old son out on his own. I have to guard my 11-year-old son. I just want to know if there is something specific we can do to change direction. Again, you have put money in, but I do not see the same outcomes that we hoped that money would generate.

Sadiq Khan: No, but there is a basic misunderstanding from you about the money we have put in being adequate to replace the money lost by Government cuts. It is not. Over the last 11 years, across our city, we have seen a hollowing out of the services that the young Black people you claim to care about used to use. What we are doing from City Hall is doing our best with the finite resources we have. We only have council tax and business rates to try to fill the massive hole left by Government cuts.

Shaun Bailey: MrMayor‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I am answering the question. I have to be able to answer the question.

Shaun Bailey: MrMayor, I would allow you to answer the question, except you did something very disgusting. You sat in that chair and said I claim to care about it. Are you trying to suggest I do not care about my community and I do not care about my own children? Is that what you are after? Let us be clear. You are trying to dodge the bullet by blaming the Government. What have you done? I am asking you. What are you doing? That is what I am asking for. Every time you evoke the Government, it is to make sure we do not look at you. The fact that you have sat there and said I claim to care is ‑‑ I cannot tell you how disgusting that statement is. Chair, I am done. I am done because that is out of order and the Mayor knows it.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, are you going to chair this impartially or what?

Shaun Bailey: I am done, Chair.

Sadiq Khan: In that chair, you are not a Conservative, Andrew. You are the Chair. Try to be impartial.

Andrew Boff: All right. I am listening to the debate and I am waiting‑‑

Sadiq Khan: Try to chair it rather than listening.

Andrew Boff: Thank you for the advice. Are you going to answer that question?

Sadiq Khan: I thought he was done, but I will answer the question, Chair. I am grateful‑‑

Shaun Bailey: I will tell you the question you should answer. Answer this question, MrMayor.

Sadiq Khan: Here we go. Here we go.

Shaun Bailey: Answer the question why you feel that you can sit in that chair and tell me that I claim to care about my own children. That is the question I want answered.

Andrew Boff: AssemblyMemberBailey, you have established the position. Do you have an answer?

Shaun Bailey: That is the question I want answered. You asked for a question; that is a question. There it is. Answer the question. Be quiet, Léonie. Answer the question.

Marina Ahmad: Excuse me, Chair --

Andrew Boff: Some order, please. Some order, please.

Sadiq Khan: You have the audacity to ask them to be under order when he has behaved this way.

Andrew Boff: Some order, please.

Marina Ahmad: No, Chair, AssemblyMemberBailey has just told AssemblyMemberCooper to be quiet. That is unacceptable.

Shaun Bailey: I am afraid it is not. It happens all the time here. Let us be clear. I will ask that question. I want you to tell me why you feel you can ask me to‑‑

Andrew Boff: AssemblyMemberBailey, please stop talking now. Thank you very much, AssemblyMemberBailey. I believe there was a question in there. Do you wish to answer that, MrMayor?

Sadiq Khan: I do, Chair. It is a really important issue and I should be given the time to answer the very important issue that has been asked by the Member. The clock has stopped for reasons I find I am not clear about but let me answer the question in the time that I have to answer the question. It is an important issue in relation to investing in young Londoners, particularly those in deprived communities. It is a fact that we have‑‑

Shaun Bailey: That is not the question I asked, Chair. I asked why you feel you can sit in that chair and say to me I claim to care about my community and my own children. That is the question I asked. Please answer that question. If he does not want to answer the question, Chair, just stop the clock and we can move on.

Onkar Sahota: No, you asked him a question. Let him answer.

Shaun Bailey: That is the question. Let him answer it, then.

Andrew Boff: Have you answered that question?

Sadiq Khan: No, I have not, Chair, and you know I have not, Chair. You have to try to be impartial. Look, you have been asked to be Chair of the Assembly.

Andrew Boff: I have and that is why I have asked you, MrMayor. Will you finish your answer?

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I will answer the question. I am not going to “finish” my answer. I will answer the question, and the question I was asked was about the really concerning issue of the disproportionate number of Black people who are losing their lives, which I was seeking to answer before the angry Member of the Assembly‑‑

Shaun Bailey: Yes, I am angry. You are right.

Sadiq Khan: He interrupted my answer and you listened to the hectoring rather than chairing. Let me respond to the question that has been asked.

Andrew Boff: Thank you.

Sadiq Khan: We are taking action. We have made huge progress in filling some of the huge hole left by the Government. By ourselves, we are not going to be able to fill the massive hole left and so what we are doing from City Hall is the record investment in giving young people constructive things to do. Many of the beneficiaries of this investment are young Black Londoners, whom we care about, which is why we are investing in them.
At the same time as investing in them across London, we are also investing in our policing. Across the country, we have lost more than 21,000 police officers, including many in London. From City Hall we are investing more than £1billion and we will be recruiting Black officers as well to serve in the MPS, more than we have in the past. Why is that important? It gives Black Londoners confidence in their police service, which means they are more likely to come forward and provide intelligence. Why is that important? It prevents young Black Londoners losing their lives from violent crime.
I am hoping there is cross-party consensus on the need to address this issue. I am hoping there is agreement that this is a serious issue. What I would hope though at the same time, Chair, is lobbying of the Government to give us the resources in terms of both enforcement and prevention, which is what we desperately need.

Andrew Boff: Thank you. Is that your answer? You had an opportunity to answer.

Sadiq Khan: I am grateful, Chair.

Public London Charter

Zack Polanski: When will your final Public London Charter be published?

Sadiq Khan: After extensive consultation, I am aiming to publish the Public London Charter in the autumn, along with other London Plan guidance documents. As outlined in the London Plan, the Public London Charter will set out principles for the management of new public spaces. This will ensure they are inclusive places that all Londoners can enjoy and that any rules and restrictions are only those that are essential for the safe management of the space. I strongly believe in the value of London’s public realm and the vital role it will continue to play in our city’s future. Over the past year or so, you have seen how we have relied upon these spaces more for our wellbeing, for fresh air and exercise, for spending time with our family and coming together with friends, in line with government guidance.
In developing the charter, we carried out formal consultation, alongside a robust engagement programme, which concluded earlier this year. Overall the feedback has been positive and there is a broad consensus that the principles will provide an effective framework for good management of public spaces within London. The Public London Charter is just one element of the full suite of guidance that will be published to support the implementation of my London Plan. This will include guidance on Good Quality Homes for all Londoners, “be seen” energy monitoring, Circular Economy Statements, Whole Life-Cycle Carbon and documents covering a number of other areas. The process in developing these documents did take time, but it is time well spent.

Zack Polanski: Thank you very much, MrMayor. There is a lot to ask about there, but not much time. I would love it if you would be more specific in the autumn when you speak, but also, will the charter send a very strong signal about facial recognition being used by private companies? I would love it if you would implement a ban or at least very strongly ask private companies to avoid facial recognition. They have done this in San Francisco.

Sadiq Khan: The legislative powers of San Francisco are a bit different to London, but what we have got in the Public London Charter is that the use of smart and digital technologies should comply with all relevant laws and codes of practice. This includes the strong requirements around the collection of biometric data set out under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the requirement for data protection impact assessments. Our approach throughout the Public London Charter and my draft Emerging Technology Charter is rooted in the observance of law and enhancing public transparency. I want all emerging technologies to be transparent, respect our diversity and ensure trustworthiness in the use of personal data. If technologies like facial recognition cannot meet those tests, then they should not be deployed in London.

Zack Polanski: I think transparency is excellent, but I do not think people want transparency on this. I think they do not want facial recognition, so will you ban it?

Sadiq Khan: I think what the public want is transparency in the use of technology, whether it is facial recognition or other issues. I am quite clear in relation to what the new public charter will say this autumn. I think it will address some of the concerns we have. I would make this point: it only goes towards new public spaces and we have got to be cognisant about the vast areas of London not covered by the new Public London Charter. That is one of the reasons why we have got to work with the various commissioners - the Information Commissioner is just one example - to make sure any codes of practice address some of the legitimate concerns Londoners have about not just the use of facial recognition, but storage and other issues that are related to facial recognition as it evolves.

Zack Polanski: Thank you, MrMayor.

Confidence in Public Transport

Elly Baker: Do you agree that people feeling confident that they can travel safely will be a vital part of encouraging more people back on public transport as restrictions are lifted further? If so, what is TfL doing to inspire confidence in the public transport network?

Sadiq Khan: From the start of the pandemic, keeping staff and passengers safe has been the top priority of both me and TfL. At every stage, TfL has sought to follow Public Health England and government guidance. I agree that people need to feel confident that they can travel safely in public transport to encourage them back to the network, and TfL continues to do everything it can to help customers feel confident using the network as restrictions ease further.
That is why I made the decision about facemasks from 19July. The Government has been clear that any competent authority may choose to mandate continued wearing of face coverings and TfL has done just that. This is an extra layer of protection on top of everything TfL has done to keep the network clean and safe over the course of the pandemic. We have also asked Imperial College London to undertake regular sampling of the network to identify any traces of coronavirus and no trace of active virus has been found on the TfL network.
Alongside this, TfL has been communicating to customers throughout the pandemic using the various means we have available: our channels, customer emails, social media, advertising campaigns, public announcements and information on the website. Extensive advice has been offered on the network itself. The TfL Go app was recently updated to include real-time data on when stations are busy. To support our Let’s Do London campaign, TfL has been running a widespread marketing and engagement campaign to encourage people safely back to the network, and the next phase of this will begin on 19July.

Elly Baker: Thank you, MrMayor. I would like to return to the subject of mixed messaging around masks and particularly around different transport operators operating in London and around interchanges. What discussions, if any, have you had with the train operating companies (TOCs) operating in London regarding them also adopting face coverings as a condition of carriage, and how can you in those circumstances ensure clear messaging if they do not mandate face coverings?

Sadiq Khan: TfL over the last two weeks has been engaging - including Heidi [Alexander, Deputy Mayor for Transport] and I - with a number of people: the Department for Transport (DfT), our trade unions and also the Rail Delivery Group, the other public transport providers across the country, as well as individuals and businesses across our city.
You will be aware that two thirds of National Rail journeys either begin or end in London. These could be trains starting in Scotland where facemasks are compulsory, going through the rest of England where they are often not, and into London where they are. Separately, we have a number of commuter trains that come into London, Southwest, Southeastern, C2C and so forth.
We are having these conversations in relation to what the TOCs do. We are hoping that by Monday as many as possible in London follow our conditions of carriage. Their challenge is, being frank, outside London, where there are different conditions of carriage based upon the Government’s guidance. The Government’s guidance publication makes things more difficult for the Rail Delivery Group and the TOCs and you will have seen what the metro mayors did yesterday in relation to the powers that they have. It is a hodgepodge. It is not ideal. There is still an opportunity for the Government to have one national framework for public transport across the country.

Elly Baker: Thank you. Moving on slightly, the Government is forcing TfL to conduct a review of service levels that ensures TfL is in a position to reduce service levels. Is there a chance that a reduction in service levels will exacerbate issues with overcrowding on some services and knock public confidence in the safety of the transport network?

Sadiq Khan: You have articulated the discussion we are having with the DfT about it being aware of a consequence of what it is seeking that we should be doing, at a time when many in the City of London, those in Canary Wharf and those in the West End are encouraging their staff to start returning to their offices and we are encouraging Londoners to come to the West End. If it is the case that the way to get there makes you feel less safe because you are cheek to jowl and shoulder to shoulder, as we were before the pandemic, when we have - as DrSahota [AM] said - the virus still with us, that may discourage people from returning to the West End, returning to their offices and so forth, but also limits the fares we can get from commuters because they have less confidence in using public transport. For those reasons, we are trying to explain to the Government why reducing services may not be the best thing to do either economically, for fares income to TfL, or for public safety reasons, as you said, and also for the economy of our city in relation to those who need higher footfall coming to the heart of our city.

Elly Baker: Thanks, MrMayor.

Toilets for Londoners this summer

Caroline Russell: What work have you done to improve access to public toilets for Londoners this summer?

Sadiq Khan: Public toilets are a vital part of our social infrastructure, giving Londoners and visitors to our city the confidence to move around and spend time in public spaces. I understand the importance of access to public toilets, especially as social activity this summer is more likely to be held outside as a result of pandemic restrictions. I will continue to take a range of actions to promote the provision of free publicly accessible toilets in our city.
My new London Plan is helping to ensure that there are more free, clean, safe and accessible public toilets available in London. This is the first time the London Plan has required new public toilets. Policy S6 requires proposals for large-scale commercial developments open to the public to provide free publicly accessible toilets and to secure their management in the future. The Public Land Charter, which is due to be published this autumn, will state that publicly accessible toilets are amenities that must be strongly supported under the public welcome principle.
These changes will make a real difference to the provision of public toilets in the future, but we are also working to provide more public toilets through direct funding right now. Investment from my Good Growth Fund is creating or refurbishing more than 250 toilet units, including more than 180 that are fully accessible, in key locations across London.
Where we have public toilets on our own estate, we are working to ensure they are as accessible as possible. We know that having to pay to access a public toilet can be a real issue, so fees have been removed from all toilet facilities on London Overground, TfL Rail and London Underground. TfL will continue to review opportunities to improve toilet facilities when undertaking station upgrades.
GLA officers have been working with partners from local authorities, BIDs, businesses and retailers to coordinate multi-agency activity to ensure a safe and confident reopening. This includes reopening all the toilets across the TfL estate and encouraging local authorities and Royal Parks to reopen and maintain toilets wherever possible.

Caroline Russell: MrMayor, thank you very much for that. You have clearly made progress since January this year [2021] when I asked you about removal of charges for using Underground toilets and you said you would do it where possible. It is good to hear all that progress.
Where toilets are not free - for example, those run by Westminster Council at Green Park - are you working with Westminster to get it to make those loos free?

Sadiq Khan: Can I just put on record my thanks for your lobbying on this? Again, a good example of cross-party working.
The challenge councils have is they need the revenue from the fees to pay for the maintenance, and there is also concern around antisocial behaviour. I just want to be frank with you about some of the challenges not just Westminster Council, but other partners we speak to have. We are trying to work with them to try to address the issues they are raising about the reason why they need the revenues.

Caroline Russell: I met with the charity Muscular Dystrophy recently and I am sure you are aware it is working with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on launching a £30million fund for Changing Places toilets. Will you be applying for some of this funding and will you be helping our boroughs in their applications from a strategic cross-London level so that we can make sure that all our public parks and places have really the best accessible toilets nearby?

Sadiq Khan: Yes. I just put on record my thanks to the Government’s new Changing Places scheme. We are working with London’s local authorities and encouraging them to opt in to the scheme and to bid for a proportion of the new investment and to boost the number of Changing Places facilities in their communities. As you say, it is a positive step improving access, particularly for those who are disabled, who require assisted-use facilities.

Caroline Russell: You may think I am a bit obsessed with public toilets, MrMayor.

Sadiq Khan: No, not at all.

Caroline Russell: I know I have asked you a lot of questions about them in the past and even moved a budget amendment proposing more toilets, which was actually quite popular in this Chamber. This is a really serious issue for Londoners, parents, people experiencing incontinence and other health issues, women, older and disabled people. The impact of losing so many informal services like toilets in cafés and pubs over the lockdown has put many more Londoners on what they describe as a ‘loo leash’. It has restricted how far people have been able to travel from home, which is obviously not right.
Would you consider investing in more loos for Londoners who are unlikely to be able to travel out of London this summer - for instance, temporary toilets like those that were put in for Euro 2020 - so that people enjoying outdoor spaces this summer can enjoy themselves with dignity and without resorting to weeing in bushes, which we know is happening in some places?

Sadiq Khan: There has never been an occasion when I have not taken your questions on this seriously because I understand the importance of them for quality-of-life issues. I am grateful, genuinely.
We have funded a number of toilets. I mentioned the Good Growth Fund and 250 toilets being refurbished or brought into use, including more than 180 that are fully accessible. If there is an issue of helping partners, we are more than happy to do so where we can, but I have to be honest. There are concerns around our budget. That is one of the reasons why we have sympathy with councils or others who have challenges with the issue of how they maintain public toilets, but it is a really important issue. We did, for example, when it came to the dignity of bus drivers, bring in the toilets when I first became Mayor. Where we can, we will. Often they are quite cheap to do and we have to make sure that we take the residents with us because sometimes public toilets can lead to issues that residents are not happy about. Where we can, we are more than happy to work with partners.

Caroline Russell: Thank you very much. I am almost out of time and I wonder if you could just write to me to let me know where these 250 toilet units, in particular the 180 that are accessible, are and when they will be ready.

Sadiq Khan: I am more than happy to do so, Chair. Thank you.

Using powers in Parliament

Siân Berry: Are you planning to use your powers in the Greater London Authority Act to promote, oppose or request provisions in bills in Parliament during this term?

Sadiq Khan: Since first being elected, I have been working hard to represent Londoners’ views and Londoners’ interests when engaging with Government legislation. We have yet to see the detail of all the Bills announced in this year’s Queen’s Speech, but I will carefully consider their potential impact on London and Londoners when they are published. Important Bills on the environment and on policing, crime, sentencing and courts were carried over from the last session of Parliament and I will continue to engage with the Government and Parliament on these. This includes meeting with the relevant Secretaries of States as they progress in this new session and having my team brief parliamentarians on the key issues for London as important debates and votes approach. My team will, of course, also study carefully the detail and implications of other legislation as it is brought forward by the Government.
The Government’s programme includes a commitment to refresh, for example, its draft Violence Against Women and Girls strategy. The Queen’s Speech also includes a commitment to a Levelling Up White Paper, which is now due later this year, replacing the Devolution White Paper that was in the manifesto. If the Government approaches this in a way that is right for the citizens and regions across the country, this has the potential to be a really important piece of work. I will work alongside the nation’s metro mayors in engaging with the Government. The GLA has not introduced any Private Bills since the GLA was establishing using the GLA Act, but I am passionate about ensuring that London plays its part in the national recovery effort and I will work with the Government where I can through its legislative programme.

Siân Berry: Thank you very much, MrMayor. I am asking about these powers that we have to bring our own Bills in Parliament because, as you know - we have discussed it before - I do not think we think enough about how to use them. I think there is a risk that if we do not use them, like you said, we might lose them. That is the risk with all powers. I think if we have these powers, we should at least have a team working on ideas and getting them ready. I want to also point out that this is a joint power of the GLA as a whole, and the Act specifies the Assembly should be involved in working with you on these. It would be great if we had a team working on this together, coming up with ideas that are cross-party. Because a cross-party voice is the most powerful voice when we all agree on things.

Sadiq Khan: Yes, Chair, I do not want to dampen the spirits of the Member, but I have looked at the Act and to get a Bill through is almost impossible. It is almost as if it is designed that way.

Siân Berry: We have to get 90% of [London] councils to agree with us, I think.

Sadiq Khan: Have you met the councillors recently? Love them as I do, Chair, I hasten to add. Then you have got a situation in relation to the hoops you have got to go through in Parliament to get one through. I have also looked at what the limitations are of any Bill that would get the assent of Parliament. We have got to make sure we are not taking away any powers of Government and so forth. If you have got any ideas that you think would overcome all those hurdles and the hoops, I’d be more than happy.

Siân Berry: Yes. This is my call really, and I am about to run out of time, but essentially we should be thinking about it. I am glad you are looking at the Act, but I think we should be looking at it together and trying to think creatively about what things we might agree on and which could get the agreement of councils in that way, so hopefully we can do something.

Sadiq Khan: More than happy to.

Protecting the victims of modern slavery

Unmesh Desai: How are you working to empower the victims of modern slavery so that they have the confidence to report to the police?

Sadiq Khan: Modern slavery and human trafficking are horrendous crimes which affect some of the most vulnerable people in London. The victims of modern slavery are often referred to as ‘hidden in plain sight’, a phrase that highlights the significant challenges that police and other partner organisations face in recognising and protecting these vulnerable victims. Both myself and the Victims’ Commissioner have repeatedly called for an information-sharing firewall to protect those victims who may have uncertain immigration status, and the MPS is working to encourage police officers to prioritise the individual as a victim. The MPS has also committed to tackling modern slavery and supporting its victims, and in January appointed two victim navigators to support modern slavery throughout investigations and trials. These have increased the number of victims who choose to support a police prosecution by 30%.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, MrMayor. The information I have is that there was a significant drop-off in modern slavery offences reported and solved by the MPS between the 2019/20 and 2020/21 financial years. Do you think that the pandemic has impacted on the MPS’s ability to detect victims of this crime? If so, how are you now rectifying this issue?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, without a doubt the pandemic has unfortunately created more barriers to the identification and support of victims of modern slavery, namely due to the lack of contact agencies are having with those potentially at risk. That is why we have only this year had a ‘train the trainer’ session for police and local authorities to help them better identify and support victims of modern slavery, but the detection rates are not good enough, so that is one of the things that we are focusing to improve on.

Unmesh Desai: You already talked about the immigration status of many of the victims of modern slavery. Under this Government’s new plans for immigration, people are forcibly trafficked through countries such as France and Spain before arriving here, who see their asylum claims rejected. The Government has recently received sharp criticism on this issue from its own Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner that the proposed changes will keep more people in the hands of these traffickers and increase the number of people in modern slavery in the UK. Do you and the Victims’ Commissioner share these concerns, and have you made representations to the Home Office on behalf of these victims, or if you have not, will you consider making representations to the Home Office?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, I am concerned, as is the Victims’ Commissioner. I responded to the Government’s consultation on the immigration plan to make my concerns clear. I am happy to send those to you. If there are additional points you think I should raise, I am more than happy to.
Unmesh Desai AM: Finally, MrMayor, this is a national issue and it is a scandal, quite frankly. Given the scale of the issues that we have talked about this afternoon and the fact that addressing modern slavery requires strong partnership working with other large cities across the country, will you consider convening a meeting with other metro mayors to address both the drop-off in reported modern slavery offences and the challenges that the Home Office’s new immigration plan may bring?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, but what would be more sensible is for me to speak to the relevant Police and Crime Commissioners as well, so let me take away what is the best way to coordinate our concern across different cities about the issue you raise and let me think about what is the best way to do it.

Unmesh Desai: Thank you, MrMayor.

Holiday Hunger

Marina Ahmad: Are you concerned that the Government’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme could leave some children in London hungry over the upcoming summer school holidays?

Sadiq Khan: I welcome the Government’s implementation of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which came thanks in no small part to the efforts of campaigners like MarcusRashford and a coalition of food charities led by the Food Foundation.
Nevertheless, I remain concerned that some children will be left hungry this summer. We know that ahead of the pandemic the number of children living in or at risk of food insecurity in London far outstripped the number in receipt of free school meals. We know that children have experienced an increase in food insecurity over the past year. Using free school meal eligibility as the main criteria for being able to access the HAF programme risks excluding children and families in need.
I voiced my concerns about the Government’s approach to free school meals and food vouchers, which has made it more difficult to ensure that children have access to fresh, nutritious food, but I am committed to doing everything I can to help enable every child to access healthy food throughout the year. I am ready and willing to work with the Government to help make the HAF programme work.
Already this year I have worked with the Mayor’s Fund for London to help repurpose Kitchen Social, the fund’s flagship programme that supports grassroots community organisations to provide social and educational activities alongside free healthy meals during the school holidays. The scheme now provides a comprehensive training and quality assurance programme to help boroughs to successfully deliver the HAF programme. Now the Government has commissioned its own support for boroughs to deliver the programme, I am exploring further options to capture the learning from the delivery of HAF to inform policy decisions at a national and local level.
Funding for the HAF programme has not been confirmed beyond the end of 2021 and I urge the Government to commit to providing long-term support for addressing food insecurity both in and out of termtime.

Marina Ahmad: Thank you, MrMayor, As you know and you have alluded to, last year the Government made the disgraceful decision not to extend the free school meal voucher scheme to cover the October half term and only U-turned on this after a mass public campaign led by one of the brilliant England Lions, MarcusRashford [MBE].
However, children will receive this support for only 16 out of the 30 weekdays this summer. MrMayor, do you think this is good enough?

Sadiq Khan: No. It is disappointing. As somebody who was on free school meals as a child, I know the difference that made during termtime in particular. It is an issue, and one of the things that not just Members of the Assembly but Members of Parliament (MPs) are lobbying the Government about as well because it means that, basically, the provisions are not provided all the time.

Marina Ahmad: Thank you. The National Food Strategy was published this morning and three of the recommendations are things that you have been calling for from the Government: to extend the eligibility of free school meals, to fund the HAF programme for the next three years and to expand the Healthy Start Screen.
Will you now write to the Government and urge it to take on board these recommendations sooner rather than later? As we know, hungry children cannot wait for action.

Sadiq Khan: I have only seen the media reports of the report. I have had no chance to read it yet. It does look interesting and we will be looking at it in detail and lobbying the Government to implement the report.
It is just worth pointing out there is no guarantee the Government is going to accept the report that has been published today, so those of us who believe this is an important issue need to work together, hopefully cross-party, so that we can say to the Government, “This is a piece of detailed work done by your own expert about a very important issue”, and persuade it to action the recommendations made in the report. Many of them, as you said, are things we have been calling for.

Marina Ahmad: Can you outline the actions that you are taking here at the GLA to support London’s children who are at risk of holiday hunger this summer? You have spoken about some, but perhaps you would like to expand on that.

Sadiq Khan: Yes. During the pandemic, we provided emergency funding, which is really important, supporting London-wide infrastructure to ensure food reaching families in need. As you will be aware, it is not just those people with children who are on free school meals, it is other families who are in poverty, food poverty in particular. We have worked with not just great councils, but the volunteer and community sector to make sure food was obtained by those who needed it and those in food insecurity.
One of the things you will be pleased to see is, as part of the London Recovery Board’s nine missions, one of them is the A Robust Safety Net mission. That is really important in this particular area. We are hoping to tackle this through our new Food Roots Incubator programme, which will be doing work in this area.
I will just make this one point in conclusion, though. Food insecurity is basically a manifestation of poverty and so what we are going to do is deal with the root cause of food insecurity, which is poverty. That is why it is really important to avoid mass unemployment in the 2020s like we saw in the 1980s. It is really important to support those who are in work to stay in work and, for those who are not in work, give them the skills they need to get back into work. Also, it is really important to make sure those who are working get a proper living wage that they can thrive on rather than one they just survive on.

Marina Ahmad: Thank you, MrMayor.

Green Person Authority Pedestrian Crossings Trial

Neil Garratt: The “green person authority” trial of pedestrian crossings defaulting to a red traffic light was described in the Evening Standard as a “huge change coming to pedestrian crossings in London". How should people give their feedback on this trial?

Sadiq Khan: I am committed to making London the world’s most walkable city and the introduction of green person authority at some pedestrian crossings is yet another action TfL has taken to make it easier and safer to travel on foot in the capital. Nearly half of all people who were tragically killed on London’s roads in 2020 were walking. Giving pedestrians priority at these crossings is an effective way of making it easier to cross London’s roads.
Following a successful trial of green person authority that started in 2018, 18 further pedestrian crossings across London have now been programmed to show a continuous green person signal until a vehicle is detected, making it easier and safer for people to cross the road and enabling more journeys on foot. TfL is continuing to identify new locations where green person authority crossings could be introduced. The locations where they are likely to be suitable and most beneficial are those with lower traffic levels. The trialling of green person authority at further locations across London will enable TfL to analyse pedestrian and traffic behaviour and identify any unforeseen safety issues. It is important that TfL continues to assess the impact of this technology and its suitability in certain locations, with the current sites having been specifically selected on the basis of both pedestrian and traffic flows.
While TfL does not generally consult when it changes signalling, it is always happy to receive feedback from customers. Anyone with feedback can contact TfL customer service by phone, email or social media or in writing. Details are available on the TfL website.
Journeys made on foot have soared throughout the pandemic with 31% of Londoners saying that they are now walking to places where they had previously frequently travelled by other means, and 57% of Londoners say they now go on more walks for exercise or walk for longer than they did before.

Neil Garratt: Thank you. My question really is about debating consultation rather than the policy itself, because the trial reverses the normal method of a pedestrian crossing working. As you say it is a red light and a green person and effectively the vehicle presses the button as it approaches with a sensor. It is a fundamental change and most people seem to have no idea that it is happening. Although it is being called a trial, there is no consultation.
The problem is that one of the lessons we have learned from the Low-Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) discussion, which I certainly do not want to go into, is the difficulty of imposing things on people when they do not quite understand what is happening. Maybe they might be in favour of it if they understood it, but they do not quite understand it and so you generate a lot of a lot of backlash. My concern is with the lack of publicity, the lack of debate and the lack of consultation. This policy may end up going down the same self-defeating road.
My plea is that there could be some kind of consultation, rather than just the general TfL response feedback bucket, which I imagine is pretty full, a separate process just for people to give their thoughts on this. Is that something you could do?

Sadiq Khan: The way that has been articulated is not unfair. Are there any particular schemes you are concerned about or trials that have been undertaken or is it the general principle?

Neil Garratt: It is both. You and I could have an interesting discussion about the merits of particular locations. For example, schools do generate a lot of pedestrian traffic at certain points of the day and certain times of the year. The one in Coulsdon, for example, generates almost no pedestrian traffic in that area otherwise. There is an argument for it being timed.
My point is that we can have this privileged discussion here because of the positions that we have. It is important that Londoners are able to be part of that conversation and not just you and me. That is why I am asking that there should be a specific process for people to give their feedback on all of them, not just the three of them in Croydon and Sutton.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I know the schemes. There are two in Sutton and one in Croydon. The pilot ends this summer and so they are coming towards an end. We will have to wait and see what the lessons to learn from them were. They are not suitable for other parts of your community or other parts of London. They are specific sites that are being piloted and it is part of the innovation from TfL.

Neil Garratt: Is there a plan to have more? Did you say just now there are intentions to look for more sites and to have more?

Sadiq Khan: We will have to wait and see what the analysis of the first tranche says. One of the lessons to be learned is your very important point about residents not being aware they were happening and not being aware they were coming to an end, and them feeling they were being imposed on them without knowing about them. That is a really important point of principle. Let me take that away.
In relation to the pilots, those pilots will be analysed this summer. The reality is we will have to wait and see what the evidence from the pilots is. I will take on board the points about, if there was consideration about them being rolled out further and more expansively, seeing how people are involved before that happens for the reasons you alluded to.

Neil Garratt: Could you send that feedback to me? I am sure other Members would like it as well, but certainly at the very least I would like to see that feedback.

Sadiq Khan: The analysis, you mean?

Neil Garratt: The analysis, yes.

Sadiq Khan: Yes, of course, Chair, we can circulate that through normal channels.

Neil Garratt: Thanks.

Better High Streets for All

Joanne McCartney: How will your Recovery Mission to deliver better ‘High Streets for All’ encourage a more community focussed economy? How will this Mission support local communities to stand up to unwanted activity on their High Streets, such as more gambling premises, especially where there are such venues already existing?

Sadiq Khan: The High Streets for All mission is about forming new and diverse local partnerships to lead recovery and develop strategies that meet local needs. As these needs will be different from place to place, we expect communities to play a strong role in devising plans to get the balance right between economic, social and cultural uses. To make sure that community voice is up front and centre of the recovery, we have made sure that one of the missions is High Streets for All, and we have also set out a scheme called “Reimagine London”, a campaign on TalkLondon, which engaged thousands of Londoners, capturing ideas for local improvements. This will be passed on to relevant partnerships and local authorities, helping promote a community-powered recovery.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you, MrMayor. I recently attended a protest in Palmers Green high street against an application from an adult gaming centre in a stretch of road which already has five gambling premises. Residents were adamant that another such venue would not make for a welcoming environment and would detract from the area. Will your recovery mission examine what type of activity and shops can create that better sense of place and community? Will that mission look at this issue?

Sadiq Khan: I am well aware of the issue you raise. It is an issue across many communities in London, particularly the poor and deprived communities, interestingly enough. The strategies we are working on will provide a clear vision for individual high streets. We are hoping it will help coordinate approaches from different committees and councils, planning, regeneration, licensing and environmental health. They need to be working together, because I think what you have illustrated is a good example of some of the challenges with the current policies.

Joanne McCartney: Local authorities are often hampered by the requirement in respect to gambling premises. There is a presumption to grant the licence, which often hampers their ability to reject applications and rejuvenate high streets as they would wish. The House of Lords has recently looked at this and says that a decision to reverse that would be justified and the DCMS has recently consulted on this. Will you write to the DCMS asking it to reverse the aim to permit guidance so that local authorities have more leeway and flexibility in rejecting applications that are not in the best interests of the local community?

Sadiq Khan: Yes. The Co-chair of the London Recovery Board with me is the Chair of London Councils. Why do I not speak to her about what we can do together? If that is the view of London Councils as well, that would really help our response. I am more than happy, Chair, to speak to the Chair of London Councils to see if we can do a joint approach to the Government.

Joanne McCartney: Thank you, that is really helpful. Thank you, Chair.

Euro 2020 Championships in London

Krupesh Hirani: How has the holding the Euro 2020 Final and other Euro matches at Wembley Stadium supported London’s economic recovery?

Sadiq Khan: Firstly, I want to pay tribute to the incredible England team, their inspirational manager and all their support team for giving us an amazing tournament that we will remember for a long time. They really did us all proud both on and off the pitch. I also want to thank the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the FA, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Brent Council, the MPS, TfL, GLA staff and many others who have worked tirelessly over the course of the championship and for many months beforehand to put on this amazing event. Millions of people from all around the world watched the eight games at Wembley, once again proving that London is truly the best sporting city on the planet.
I know it seems like a long time ago that our sports stadiums were full of fans and we were welcoming supporters from across the world to our sporting events, but there is no doubt that major sporting events can act as a real catalyst not only for economic recovery and to boost tourism, but also to support grassroots sport participation amongst all Londoners, improving community cohesion and social integration. While we have not been able to welcome large numbers of international fans, Euro 2020 has still been a fantastic success for the city with fans from across the country traveling to Wembley, helping London’s economy to recover.
It is not just football that has this kind of impact. In 2019 the Major League Baseball [World] Series came to London and sold out two games between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, creating a boost of almost £37million to London’s economy and a further £9.5million to the national economy. In 2017, the World Athletics Championship reached 1billion people and contributed £107million to the national economy. Latest research published by London & Partners shows that major sporting events like Euro 2020 and other cultural events contribute over £600million on average to the capital’s economy every year. This is great for London, particularly as we recover from the pandemic. I will continue to do all I can to harness the incredible power of sport for our city.

Krupesh Hirani: Thank you. I would like to thank the Mayor and also other fellow Members of the London Assembly for following my local team during the whole tournament. I also congratulate the agencies involved and GarethSouthgate [OBE] and the England players, in particular a fellow boy from Brent, RaheemSterling, for giving us such positive memories.
The aftermath of the tournament was more painful than the penalty defeat itself. I was disgusted to see the actions of some ruining the final for others in Wembley, and also those hurling racist abuse online to our players. You have already spoken at length about policing at Wembley today, but how will you work with the MPS, and indeed social media companies, to tackle hate online?

Sadiq Khan: Firstly, I must record, Chair, my jealousy at seeing the Member with his England kit on the pitch for the photograph I saw. It was good to see Members of the Assembly seeking advantage from really good events taking place in their patches, but I am jealous of the opportunity that you had.
We are working with the social media companies in relation to the responsibility they have in relation to not allowing racist messages on their platforms, some of which were criminal offences, but also amplifying these messages of hate. It is really important for us to remember what a social media platform does: it allows a racist to have their message seen by many more people. That has an impact in relation to the demoralising effect it has and the distressing effect has on BAME people in particular. Also, it can encourage and give succour to others to also be racist. I have written to the big social media companies asking a number of questions in relation to what they have done and what they intend to do. I was really pleased to see the Prime Minister was also calling them out in relation to the responsibility they have.
The final thing I would say is this. There is an Online Harms Bill in Parliament. It is really important that parliamentarians use the opportunity of the Bill to make sure we close any loopholes, particularly if it is the case that social media companies are not taking the action they need to be taking.

Krupesh Hirani: Thank you. I am conscious of time and so I will move on.

Antisemitism in London

Susan Hall: What further action has been taken following the increase in Antisemitism in London during May?

Sadiq Khan: Ever since I was first elected in 2016, I have been clear that I will not tolerate racism of any kind in London, whether it is on the street, on public transport or online. I was pleased to see swift arrests made following recent incidents of antisemitism and I am grateful for the support of the whole Assembly for this zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism.
London is one of the most diverse and open cities in the world, but we cannot escape the fact that the capital faces a growing threat from extremism, including violent extremism. There is a responsibility on all of us to ensure that we do not embolden those who seek to use conflicts elsewhere in the world to divide us. We all must take a zero-tolerance approach to hate.
I am in close contact with Jewish communities and have discussed our shared concerns with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. As a result, Londoners will have seen an increased high-visibility police presence around synagogues and Jewish faith schools particularly, when required.
Of course antisemitism and other forms of hate crime are not something that police action alone can resolve. Communities have to come together to tackle hate and intolerance. That is one of the reasons why we launched our Shared Endeavour Fund, which supports projects delivered by civil society groups such as the Anne Frank Trust and the Union of Jewish Students, working across London to challenge antisemitism. My Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime and my Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice attended an online meeting hosted by the London Jewish Forum recently, with many leading organisations and figures from the Jewish community. The meeting not only addressed hate crime but explored how we can work together to build long-term community cohesion. These conversations, along with the ongoing engagement by City Hall and the MPS with the Community Security Trust and the Shomrim mean that we are all working together to support and protect London’s Jewish communities. This engagement has helped to shape reassurance and preventative policing plans across London as well as our response supporting victims when a hate crime does occur.
I have invested more than any Mayor to tackle hate, intolerance and extremism in London, but I am not complacent. My determination to combat the scourge of hate crime and to celebrate the diversity that is one of London’s great strengths is undiminished. I will continue to work with all those who share those aims.

Susan Hall: Thank you, MrMayor. Very many of our Jewish community are not feeling any better about this. I asked you about it recently. You said, “Sometimes, in general terms, when there is a march or a protest, rather than having snatch squads going in to arrest people, they often record and will arrest after the protest”. Yet of the 208 offences that took place that month, only 15 arrests were made. How can you square that with what the data is showing?

Sadiq Khan: I have not seen that number, Chair. I am happy to talk‑‑

Susan Hall: I have been sent this data. Because you are leaving early and we have lost a lot of time I will leave it there, but we must protect the Jewish community. Antisemitism is rife. I will leave it there then, Chair. Thank you.

Sadiq Khan: Chair, I am not leaving early. The Assembly‑‑

Susan Hall: They are recorded figures that we have. I will send them to you so that you can be informed and perhaps you will come back with an answer next time. Thank you, Chair.

ULEZ Expansion

Emma Best: Will there be at least two cameras on every road inside the North and South Circulars once the expanded ULEZ is in place?

Sadiq Khan: Air pollution is the biggest environmental risk to health we face, and the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has already helped reduce pollution in central London by nearly half. In the Central Activities Zone, 87% of vehicles now meet the standards, up from 39% in February2017 when changes associated with the ULEZ began. This is huge progress, which is helping to protect the health of Londoners.
However, air pollution is not just a central London issue, which is why it is vital to build on the success and expand the ULEZ up to the North and South Circular Roads. Cameras play an essential role in making the ULEZ effective. The area covered by the existing Congestion Charge and ULEZ has around 650 cameras. The new zone will be 18 times the size, but new technology means TfL estimates that only around 750 new cameras will need to be installed as part of the ULEZ expansion. Due to this new technology, there will not be two enforcement cameras on every road within the expanded area. Instead, cameras will be located on all entry routes as well as in a number of other locations throughout the zone. The number and placement of cameras has been calculated to enforce the rules to achieve the air quality benefits London needs without cluttering up the streets and while keeping costs down. Cameras will capture number plates from vehicles driven in the zone to check against the TfL database to see if they meet the ULEZ standards.
To minimise new infrastructure on the network and disruption for Londoners, TfL is also upgrading the existing cameras and installing new cameras on existing infrastructure such as traffic signals where practical. TfL estimates that approximately 200 existing monitoring cameras will be upgraded to ULEZ cameras to support the expansion. The introduction of multi-lane cameras will also reduce the total number of cameras required at each location as they are able to capture vehicles travelling in both directions, ensuring better compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation and privacy and surveillance camera codes of practice.
The success of the existing ULEZ shows what we can do to protect health of Londoners, and I am determined that we will continue to make systemic changes that will last to deliver cleaner air for millions more Londoners.

Emma Best: Thank you, MrMayor. You rightly acknowledge that the new zone will be 18 times the size of the existing zone and I take the point about new technology, but with just 100 more cameras than is needed in a zone 18 times the size, without x-raying through people’s houses, I am struggling to follow how that is going to capture all the vehicles.
You drive around London a lot in your job. You will have noticed that especially around the A406 boundary there is a lot of rat-running and a lot of issues on those roads. Are you confident that there will be entire, complete, 100% coverage, and that we will not have room for further rat-running to further cause misery for residents of those roads?

Sadiq Khan: Do you mean the ULEZ cameras?

Emma Best: Yes. Will we have 100% coverage so there is no chance that people will rat-run to avoid the charge?

Sadiq Khan: We currently have around 98% or 99% coverage of central London and we think we will get the same sort of coverage for the expanded area, about 98% or 99% coverage.

Emma Best: You are confident we will have 98% to 99% coverage with just 100 more cameras than in a zone 18 times smaller?

Sadiq Khan: I want to have the same coverage, 98% to 99% of the expanded ULEZ, like we do for the central London ULEZ.

Emma Best: I will take your word for that, then. Thanks.

Heathrow Flight Path Changes

Tony Devenish: What have you done since March 2020 to protect Londoners from Heathrow’s air and noise pollution?

Sadiq Khan: I am all too aware of the evidence for the erosion in public health and quality of life that can result from aviation activity. In line with air travel worldwide, flights to and from Heathrow Airport have dropped substantially over the last year, as much as 90% below typical traffic levels. This has meant significantly fewer flights, with the airport moving to a single runway operation for several months.
While this has presented serious challenges for the aviation sector and the jobs that depend on it, the reduction in flights has resulted in a welcome dip in noise and air pollution, which has come as a relief for long-suffering communities. This respite may be temporary, but Londoners deserve a permanent solution going forward.
Despite my lack of powers in this area, I have been clear that as aviation demand starts to return, I want to work with the sector to ensure that it can contribute to a green recovery for London and the whole country. This means putting a much greater focus on the sector’s environmental impacts and I want the industry to take immediate steps in this area. My officers met earlier this year with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Heathrow Airport’s regulator, to press for environmental factors to be treated as a primary consideration in the regulatory framework. I also raised this in a recent meeting with Heathrow Airport Ltd.
In March [2021], a reply was submitted on my behalf to the Government consultation on the latest night flights regime to Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. I am clear that this is a unique opportunity to implement a more environmentally ambitious framework that seeks to drive tech innovation whilst delivering a meaningful and sustained improvement in unacceptable noise levels experienced by local communities.

Tony Devenish: Thank you, MrMayor. To be clear, will you push for a ban on night flights?

Sadiq Khan: We have responded to the consultation. We are keen to continue to make progress. In relation to night flights, you will be aware that at certain times of the night they do not fly. I am unclear on the question.

Tony Devenish: Flights start at 4.30am and they are still flying up until midnight.

Sadiq Khan: What is the question? Do you want to finish?

Tony Devenish: Let me read you what a Fulham resident said to me last night.

Sadiq Khan: Sure.

Tony Devenish: “A plane has just landed overhead at 10.10pm. It restarts at 4.30am, a six-hour window of peace.” Yet, as you say, air traffic is down by 87%. Between those hours, will you basically ban night flights from 10.10pm to 4.30am?

Sadiq Khan: I follow, Chair. We will lobby for the hours to be expanded. I am more than happy to speak to the Member. We have done some work on this. I do not have the latest responses on that time but I am more than happy, as somebody who is affected by this, to work with him because it is an issue. The hours are there. Your ask is to extend the night-time hours. Chair, can I work with the Member on this? This is a good example that, actually, we are on the same team here. Can I look into that and work with you offline?

Tony Devenish: Thank you, MrMayor. What do you think of Heathrow’s opaque plans to so-called double stack aircraft - have aircraft flying over each other - particularly at night?

Sadiq Khan: We agree that we want there to be certain hours where there are not any flights altogether. What is important when we refer to environmental impacts is we have to be a bit careful that the double stacking does not lead to additional challenges with the environment on top of the noise that concerns your constituents. We have issues with that.
The response we have done, Chair, is available on the website, but I will send it separately to the Member so that he is aware of what we said.

Tony Devenish: Finally, do you think Heathrow has been very clear with Londoners on exactly what it is proposing? I have looked into this in detail and it is really complicated. Heathrow has not communicated it very clearly to Londoners.

Sadiq Khan: I will pass that on to the Chief Executive, who is really keen to rebuild relations with Londoners. He is really keen to learn the lessons from the past.
To be fair to Heathrow, the aviation sector is in a huge flux and some of the estimates we see are that it may not be until 2024 at the earliest when they return to pre-pandemic levels. That, to me, of course is a big challenge because of the jobs, but it is an opportunity to make meaningful change for your constituents and also others across our city, and the environment as well.
I will pass on your comments. The new Chief Executive does get the criticism that many of us have about the way they have consulted and the broken promises and he is keen to make improvements on that.

Tony Devenish: Thank you, MrMayor.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling at the LFB

Anne Clarke: Across the last financial year the London Fire Brigade has improved its recruitment of women and Black, Asian and minority ethnic firefighters and has reported that it has hit its targets for the first time since targets were set in 2017. However top earning female operational staff in the Brigade rose by only 0.5% in the first three quarters of 2021/22 to 7.3% and Black, Asian and minority ethnic top earning operational staff dropped overall by 0.3% to 8.9%. How will you be ensuring more women and Black, Asian and minority ethnic firefighters are able to work through the ranks and reach their potential within the London Fire Brigade?

Sadiq Khan: It is essential that the London Fire Brigade (LFB) is representative of the communities it serves. As well as improving trust with those communities, having a workforce with diverse experience, skills and thinking is the only way to achieve inclusive and properly informed decision making. The LFB has successfully improved recruitment of women and BAME firefighters through its outreach work and the implementation of its togetherness strategy. The outreach team has established links with employment partners and attended events across London to generate interest in becoming a firefighter. Targeted digital marketing and virtual information days have also helped to widen the recruitment pool. Activities are also underway to provide leadership training to aspiring leaders from under-represented groups.
While it will take time for improved recruitment practices to filter up to the most senior levels of the LFB, work has also been commissioned to look at the barriers to progression for under-represented groups. A new recruitment strategy is being developed which will explore the introduction of a talent development scheme, aiming to identify future talent in the lower ranks and supporting them to progress. We hope to have this up and running within the next 12months.
The LFB also has equality support groups, providing staff networks for women and BAME staff, who support their members to prepare for promotion opportunities. This has been valuable in encouraging talent to progress. Earlier this year, the London Fire Commissioner announced an external review of the LFB’s culture, which, when underway will add additional important scrutiny to this programme of work.

Anne Clarke: Thank you, MrMayor. You have answered most of my follow-ups. I appreciate that the LFB needs to look more like our city. I am just wondering, how is the LFB getting that message across to all Londoners, that heroes look like them and live like them?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, it is a really important issue. When I was growing up, I had in my mind what a firefighter should look like and what their role entailed. The role of a modern firefighter is very different to what it was 20 or 30 years ago, so it is important to challenge outdated perceptions of what a firefighter’s role is in 2021 in a global city like London. The team is going out and speaking and engaging and listening, busting some of those myths, but also trying to reach underserved communities, who previously have had no contact with the LFB, except for what they see on television.

Anne Clarke: There is a disproportionality between the number of people from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds in the LFB and the number of them achieving promotion or becoming top earners. Does the LFB need to set new targets to ensure that people of diverse religious and ethnic heritage are not overlooked when opportunities to move up the career ladder arise across all three strands of work?

Sadiq Khan: One of the reasons why I think the Commissioner was right to bring somebody in from outside to look at the culture of the LFB is to ensure that there were not things happening that were indirectly, inadvertently, stopping talent going up, particularly those from diverse backgrounds.
One of the things that I think we have got to do better is manage our talent, give them the support, give them the skills; not just retaining them once we get them in, but helping them progress and making sure they have got a mentor or support buddy, somebody who can give them the skills they need to make progression up the LFB. By the way, the same applies to the MPS, TfL, City Hall and other good employers who want to see their talent progress, but also their organisations looking more like their customers or people across the city.

Championing Access to Green Space in London

Leonie Cooper: Your manifesto committed to improving London’s network of green corridors and open spaces, connecting Londoners with green areas and improving community links. Your own Green Space Commission found last year that there is an urgent need to champion green space in London and that this must be linked to the climate and ecological emergencies; new public health demands, including mental health and loneliness; and measures to address social exclusion. How will you build upon the Commission’s work to ensure that work of the boroughs in providing green space is supported; and that London’s green space is protected, restored, improved and championed?
London Green Spaces Commission, ‘London Green Spaces Commission Report,’ August 2020

Sadiq Khan: The pandemic has reaffirmed the importance of our parks and green spaces, which help protect our city’s nature, deliver mental and physical health benefits and provide a haven for many during lockdown. The decrease in funding, skill shortages and increasing pressures on boroughs to deliver more for less has created significant challenges for organisations responsible for maintaining and improving these spaces. My Green Spaces Commission recommended the establishment of a centre for excellence to champion the benefits of green spaces, making these spaces more inclusive and resilient, securing new investment and setting up a new green space skills programme. The charity
Parks for London was identified as the organisation best placed to drive innovation and promote best practice. The commission identified the need for improved London-wide coordination and strengthened links with borough health, housing, culture, climate and sports functions, creating new approaches to enhancing and championing green spaces. Working with London Councils, the London Environment Directors’ Network and the Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association, we are growing the capacity of Parks for London so it can develop and expand its work. We have given additional funding for the work taking place there, but also the Green New Deal has committed £6million to help create greener and more resilient spaces across London. This will help ensure all Londoners have access to a green space within a ten-minute walk of their home.

Léonie Cooper: Thank you very much, MrMayor, and thank you very much for your leadership on this. As you said, Londoners really appreciated green spaces over the last year or so because of the pandemic and so many lockdowns.
In terms of the London Green Spaces Commission, the Commission did not call for it to cover pocket parks and small green spaces, which can be so vital, as you said, for many Londoners who may be slightly further away from larger spaces. Do you think it might be possible to protect these pocket parks and very small green spaces? I think they are part of the green lungs of London and very often are really valued by local people.

Sadiq Khan: Yes, I agree. I thought that they were covered. If they are not, I will look into the point you made - I agree with you 100%, by the way - to make sure they are. I think it is very important.

Léonie Cooper: Thank you very much, that would be great. Perhaps I can correspond with you and we can sort that out.
The other thing I want to ask very quickly is, you have previously highlighted and championed really important policy areas by appointing, for example, the Night Czar, AmyLamé, and you have a mayoral health adviser and also the Victims’ Commissioner. Is there any possibility that you might commit to appointing a green space champion, who would then be able to do that vital work with London Councils and other stakeholders that you have mentioned to protect, restore and improve Londoners’ access to green spaces?

Sadiq Khan: I think one of my roles is to be London’s green spaces champion and show leadership in this area, not just in visits and funding, but showing that I take this seriously. What we are doing in addition to the work taking place by the new centre for excellence that I talked about, the work taking place by Parks for London, is to make sure we have our policy support in this area. My view is that I should be the green space champion, for the reasons you said, not just the pockets, but also because they are the lungs of our city. It goes with our focus in relation to the Green New Deal in relation to how we address the climate emergency, in relation to how we deal with the twin challenges of climate change and poor air quality, but also one of the things we have learnt from the pandemic is how essential green spaces are for us. I think the last 16months have reminded Londoners why it is so important.

Léonie Cooper: Thanks very much, MrMayor. I think you know there are several others of us in the room who are also very keen to see that green thread through all policies.

Domestic Abuse

Nicholas Rogers: Please can you outline recent trends in domestic abuse in London and what actions your office has taken to tackle this issue?

Sadiq Khan: Tackling all forms of domestic abuse is an absolute priority for me. Rates of domestic abuse, which were already too high, have already been made worse by the pandemic. Since the initial lockdown in March2020, London has seen a 5% increase in reported domestic abuse offences, meaning that for those feeling unsafe or who are experiencing violence, home is not a safe place. Chair, I have got an answer, but time is short. I would rather allow the Assembly Member a chance to ask supplementary questions and I can send my answer in writing.

Nicholas Rogers: Thank you very much. MrMayor, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) domestic abuse offences are up by 30.6% over your period in office. That is just the offences that we know about. In an answer to a written question in 2019, you pointed out, quite rightly, that gay men in particular are less likely to report or even to recognise domestic abuse when it happens. My question is what have you done since then on this issue and what are your plans going forward?

Sadiq Khan: This is a really important issue. One of the things we have done is support the London Victim and Witness Service. Obviously, the vast majority of our victim survivors are women, but more work is being done to support those men who are also the victims of domestic violence and domestic abuse. We are working with something called The Outside Project to address the various issues that you raise, which provides emergency accommodation and wraparound support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) individuals because we recognise there are specific needs these survivors and victims have which are different to other victims and survivors.
If there are other ideas or initiatives the Member has which he thinks we have not thought about, I am more than happy to look into those. I am also more than happy to arrange for him to meet with the team to explain some of the work we are doing because there are some people who - forgive me for this language - fall through the cracks, and we have got to make sure there is support for them so they do not fall through the cracks.

Nicholas Rogers: Thank you. I would appreciate that meeting.

End of Restrictions

Onkar Sahota: On Monday 19 July 2021, all restrictions relating to COVID-19 are due to be lifted across London and the country. How are City Hall and local authorities preparing for the end of restrictions?

Sadiq Khan: As we approach 19July [2021], I continue to meet regularly with Public Health England and the NHS to discuss the ongoing situation, variants of concern, the vaccination programme, how health systems are being impacted by the pandemic and preparation for the further easing of national restrictions. My Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience, Dr FionaTwycross, co-chairs the Strategic Coordination Group (SCG), which meets twice weekly to assess both current and future impacts of COVID-19. A joint risk register enables individual agencies to flag system-wide risks that can be assessed and mitigated as appropriate through the collective working of the SCG. I established a London roadmap with business leaders on the London COVID Business Forum, working to ensure we support the safe and full reopening of London’s economy.
As we take the important next steps to reopening, I will also ensure that Londoners continue to receive information on the actions they can take to keep themselves, their families and our communities safe. As I said earlier, I was not prepared to stand by and put Londoners and our city’s recovery at risk and so, after careful consideration, I decided to ask TfL to retain the requirement for passengers to wear face coverings on all TfL services when the national regulations change from 19July. The majority of Londoners support this, trade unions have called for it to protect staff, and other European countries have also made it mandatory.
The vaccines are making a huge difference, protecting people against serious illness and hospitalisation, but the number of COVID cases continues to rise in London and across the country. The best way to reduce case numbers and make reopening a success is for every Londoner to take the vaccine as soon as possible.

Onkar Sahota: Thank you for that. MrMayor, we all want restrictions lifted, we all want the economy to open up, and we all want life to go back to normal, but we have been here too many times. We need to take mitigation measures for as long as the virus is with us, and the virus is still with us.
The Government’s constant mixed messaging over the use of facemasks has been a problem. I know that you have said that Londoners must wear masks on TfL. Let me read you a paragraph from a letter I received from the British Medical Association (BMA), which is addressed to you and I will send a copy. It says,
“We thank you for your announcement today on the mandatory use of facemasks across the TfL land network. We are grateful that you have taken the concerns of doctors and BMA members such as ourselves on board in your decision. As you know, facemasks are a measure that will have minimal impact on people’s daily lives but will play a fundamental part in our fight against COVID-19 and the alarming rate of its current transmission. We wholeheartedly welcome your decision.”
MrMayor, has the Government’s policy on mixed messaging made life difficult for you in protecting Londoners?

Sadiq Khan: When you look at any crisis, any pandemic in particular, clear, concise messaging is important. What helps the virus spread is mixed messaging and lack of clarity. That is one of the reasons I was lobbying the Government for a national message around public transport with a continuation of the national regulations, but the Government has chosen not to do so. The Government, to give it credit, did give me the autonomy to do what I wanted in TfL. It could have tried to veto what we did in TfL; it did not, and I am grateful for it not doing so.
Our approach is the right one in relation to public transport in London. There are two key things. One is public safety. for the reasons you and the BMA have said, and the other is public reassurance. Both are equally important as we seek to reopen our city further on 19July.

Onkar Sahota: Of course, MrMayor, the Government has dillydallied and there is a reliance upon public behaviour. SirIsaacNewton said, “I can predict the movement of celestial bodies but I cannot predict human behaviour”. The answer to this is that we need to have clear messaging for the public and also to remind them that the pandemic is with us here and that good public health measures of wearing a mask, keeping a social distance and cleaning your hands is still important.
How will you be making sure that this message does reach Londoners and make sure that public health does remain at the forefront of this fight?

Sadiq Khan: One of the things, I am afraid, in living in a democracy and a free society is those whose views we disagree with: the anti-vaxxers, the COVID deniers. You have to park the views there. We are never going to persuade them. But there are a lot of people in the middle who are confused by the mixed messaging.
All I say to them, in a courteous and respectful way, is look at the evidence from the Government’s own Scientific Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE). Look at the evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO). Look at the evidence from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States of America (USA). There is plenty of evidence out there that facemasks do reduce transmission, particularly indoors where you cannot keep your social distance. Not only is it one of the most unselfish things you can do because it stops you passing the virus on - as you will be aware, one out of three people with the virus do not show symptoms - but new research from the CDC shows it can also help you as the wearer of a facemask. Why not err on the side of caution, particularly we know that over the course of the last week 19 Londoners lost their lives because of COVID.
Yes, we have weakened the link because of the vaccine in relation to serious illnesses, hospitalisation, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and deaths, but we have not broken the link. That is why it is so important, as you said, to be cautious. The virus is still with us. That is why getting the jab, wearing a facemask, washing your hands regularly and thoroughly and keeping your distance where you can indoors are really important.

Onkar Sahota: Good. Thank you, MrMayor.

Support for young people over the summer holidays

Len Duvall: How are you supporting London’s children throughout the summer holidays, particularly those vulnerable young people at risk of becoming involved in crime?

Sadiq Khan: My Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) places young people at the heart of its work with a focus on youth work, schools and diversionary activities. These interventions take place all year round to support young people from some of London’s most disadvantaged communities. Young people are often vulnerable to exploitation, poverty and violence. This includes supporting young people at transitional periods of their life through our schools Stepping Stones programme, as well as helping young people in custody through the DIVERT and ENGAGE programmes, offering opportunities away from crime. I have invested more than ever before into violence reduction initiatives this year, and we are working to support more young people as COVID restrictions continue to be eased.
In addition, we have concentrated investment in areas most affected by violence. Our £6million
MyEnds programme is funding community-led responses to violence in eight neighbourhoods across London. The VRU has also recently launched a new after-school programme. The Stronger Future Fund aims to improve educational outcomes, employability prospects and mental health for young people aged between
10 and 18.
The MPS has a new six-point strategy to address violence in London, including prioritising early intervention, dismantling gangs and intervening on drugs and guns. My multi-agency summer violence programme of action will reflect and assist this strategy. Yesterday I launched a Family Fun season as part of my
Let’s Do London campaign as we know that creative activities open up new and positive life paths for young people.

Len Duvall: Is it fair to say, MrMayor, that most of your crime prevention activities aimed at young people, as well as your enforcement practices, are driven now by data and that you are targeting areas where there is a propensity for violence among young people?

Sadiq Khan: Yes, that is a fair summary. We are focusing more of our resources and our attention because of the data we have on those areas where there is higher youth violence. By the way, if you map those parts of London with where there are the least facilities, you will not be surprised that they overlap. These are areas starved, if you like, of youth facilities and so we are focused on giving them the youth facilities they deserve. The bonus for us is they are less likely to get involved in violent crime.

Len Duvall: If we can go back to the enforcement side, which is quite an important aspect of this - they are both important but in terms of this summer in particular - I have raised this question with you before. You and the MPS on both sides and local authorities will be telling their communities what is happening in their areas. Is the MPS engaging with specific consultation areas within those communities to say, “Look, this is what we are doing”, so that you are telling them that we are going to do this crime prevention, but we are also going to be targeting individuals with a propensity to inflict violence on their communities, and we want the community on side.
Is that going to take place? I am a great supporter of our police here in London, but it has been a weakness about some of the strategies, particularly earlier last year about when they went into areas where the community wanted them to go in to have more high-profile policing but actually never told people what was going to happen in those areas. Do you think that the MPS has learned from some of those issues?

Sadiq Khan: The MPS is quite keen to be talking to those communities and saying, “You know what? Because you want to be safer, we are going to be having more police officers in your community, working with you to make sure in particular young people are safer”.
At the same time as we will be saying, “We are providing these facilities to keep young people busy”, what we have is probably not just greater multi-agency working than before, but also greater multi-layered policing. For example, the criticism you would have as a former councillor would be that your neighbourhood officers are sometimes complaining privately to you that often others from the police come into a community and they do not know about it. What we have now is really good working across London with the Violence Suppression Units, which are officers who know their communities, working really closely with the Violent Crime Task Force, which comes into the areas we are particularly worried about, working closely with the
Territorial Support Group (TSG), Trident and so forth. That multi-layered approach means better policing and - you are spot on - police officers saying to communities, “We are here for you because you want us to be here for you”, and we buy in their goodwill because the public are the eyes and ears the police rely upon. We police by consent.
You are spot on. This summer we are seeing probably greater partnership working than ever before in relation to policing their communities and in relation to youth provision and communities, trying to get mums, dads, big brothers, big sisters and carers on side as well.

Len Duvall: Thank you very much, MrMayor.